INVENTOR John Egan has the perfect idea for keeping dry in the Manchester rain - a wonky brolly.

He's hoping his idea of an off-centre umbrella will become all the rage and make him a fortune.

His lop-sided creation is designed to ensure the carrier is evenly covered in a downpour - which in Manchester, with an average annual rainfall of 32 inches, is a regular occurrence.

"With this, you've got cover from the rain on both sides," he said. "If you hold a normal umbrella in either hand, then one side of you is not so well protected and can get wet. And you run the risk of poking people's eyes out with the other side.

"The only way you get full cover with a normal umbrella is if you hold it in the middle of your body, close to your face."

The 25-year-old, who graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a degree in 3-D design, got his inspiration while in a bar during a shower.

"I saw someone walking past, struggling with an umbrella," he said, "and the idea came to me. It rains a lot here and ordinary brollies seemed inadequate."

About four months ago, John got to work at home in West Didsbury, customising sports umbrella frames and stretching nylon across them.

He has "road-tested" them and says he has stayed dry - but has yet to test them in high winds.

He has approached a number of umbrella manufacturers, but has been knocked back each time.